The Marauder's Map
by Glitterfrost
Summary: James stole the Marauder's Map from his father's desk drawer, and now it's up to him to reveal the Map's secrets. Threeshot. Written before JK revealed her extra information, so some names are incorrect. Do read. :D
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This story was inspiried by this quote:_

_Courtney: What child did Harry give the Marauder's Map to if any? _

_J.K. Rowling: I've got a feeling he didn't give it to any of them, but that James sneaked it out of his father's desk one day. _

* * *

Finally. He had waited for this moment for three days, and yes, it was-at last-going to pay off. Today, his father's study was completely unoccupied and unprotected. James Potter grinned. He tiptoed down the burgundy-carpeted hallway, skillfully avoiding the loose floorboard six feet from the door. His trainers made no noise-How could they, after hundreds of successful sneaky missions and excursions?-and the dark, sturdy, impassive door loomed all the closer. But James wasn't at all intimidated. Although his father's study was off limits, he should've known that James would try to get through it. It was, after all, James's nature. He was built for speed and sneaking around. This was easy stuff. Kid's stuff. James could hardly wait for Hogwarts-a whole new set of rules to break and adults to annoy. Paradise. 

James forced himself back into the present. Now was no time to be daydreaming. Now it was time for action-and the dark door was only a foot away. James furtively cast looks around for any siblings or parents. Nope. Nothing. Do it. Now.

He shot out an arm towards the brass knob-only to feel his arm vibrate violently. James desperately tried to unglue his hand from the doorknob, but to no avail-it was stuck to the knob like a Chizpurfle to a Crup. James cursed his stupidity. Of course-an Intruder Charm. And, by the looks of it, a Sticking Charm as well. He gritted his teeth. Arrogance, Potter, arrogance. Now focus. You _can_ unstick your hand. Just channel the magic.

James shut his eyes and concentrated. He felt the force and energy of his magic crawl down his arm and move to the rattling handle. James felt the skin of his hand separate itself from the scorching metal, and opened his eyes to see purple sparks part flesh and brass. He suddenly felt a sort of great wind rush through him, and he was free.

James was cast on the ground, but he immediately jumped up and searched for a hiding place. Dad couldn't find him here-it would ruin everything, his plans, his reputation for being unbeatable. He saw Lily's room down the hall and he knew it was his only hope. He flung open the door and nearly toppled over her enchanted dollhouse that emitted several high shrieks when kicked. Her room was a light lilac colour, and James wrinkled his nose at the femininity of it. He shut the door with what he hoped was a quiet creak and dived into his sister's closet.

"_What d'you think you're doing?!"_

The closet doors were wrenched open and James stared meekly into the eyes of his eight-year-old sister.

"Sorry Lils, but just _please_ be quiet!"

"You _think_ you can just run in here and pretend to be invisible? I'm calling Daddy!"

"NO!" James nearly shouted, "No, Lils, _please_, I'll do anything, just don't-"

"Wait."

Lily had a sort of immature satisfaction written on her engaging face. James' heart sunk. He had realized, far to late, what he'd just said. Lily stepped into the closet and closed the doors behind her.

"Anything, big brother? You said anything?"

James tried to modify his sister's memory by simply wishing it, but magic has a funny way of only happening when _absolutely_ needed. James's magic was currently rebelling against him. He balled his fists and waited.

"Hmmm…well, Becca hasn't been over to play lately. I could use someone to play with Rosaline." Her grin was getting wider.

James cursed his luck, then Becca Thomas for not being over recently. He rolled his eyes before nodding.

"Say it, big brother. Or it doesn't count."

James was about to be utterly humiliated, he knew it. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself and said, "Yes, I'll play with you."

"With Rosaline. And for a month." She was milking it for all it was worth. These would be the fond memories she reviewed on her deathbed.

"I'll play with Rosaline. For a month." Lily nodded with satisfaction.

"Good. I won't call Daddy."

And she left, shutting the closet doors behind her.

James let out a breath. The prices you pay for being a criminal mastermind, he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

It was some time later that James edged himself out of the closet and away from Lily's room. He shut the door with a quiet groan, as he had spotted complication #3: Albus was lounging in the corridor, his emerald eyes fixed in _Quiddich Through the Ages_. James now was severely irritated. This was not at all working as well as he'd hoped. Albus looked up at the sound of the door, and curiosity mixed with mischievousness crossed his thin features. James knew it would be easy to bully his younger brother, but it also could be possibly tricky. James sauntered over, becoming haughty once more. But it was Albus who spoke first.

"What are you doing in Lily's room?"

"Never you mind," said James roughly, enjoying the savage sport of harassment, "You reading again, Potter? Trying to increase the amount of knowledge in your pea-sized brain before school, then, eh?"

"Shut up, James," Albus replied, with murder in his eyes.

"Oh, yes," James bent closer to Albus, whispering in his ear, "Yeah, Potter, nasty temper we have, don't we? They're gonna put you in Slytherin, where all the loony ones go. They're gonna have you in a straightjacket, and lock you up in the dungeons with only the rats for company. They're gonna torture you down there, and no one but the rats will be able to hear you scream."

"SHUT UP!" Albus was shouting now, terror in his eyes. James mocked his frightened face.

"What's the matter, Potter? Gonna cry?"

"James, I'm warning you-"

"Now, now," James' grin was gone; Albus was aiming to punch him, "Violence isn't necess-"

But whether it was necessary or not, James never found out. He found himself hurtling backwards down the corridor, in front of the door he had been so desperately trying to get through not an hour earlier. Albus threw the book down and ran off, no doubt going to get his mum. James gingerly stood; his brother's temper had produced magic that had caused James quite a lot of pain. He winced: His entire body felt as though it had been both electrocuted and stung. But his brain was clear, and he had only one goal in mind: get though the dark door. Now.

James studied it quickly-the door was locked and the charms still on it.

"Come on, come on, come on…" He muttered desperately. His wand-but where was it? He knew a spell that could possibly work, having heard his father mutter it to open doors on numerous occasions. He'd only received it a week ago, on his school trip to Diagon Alley. The Ministry couldn't track him-there were adult wizards in the house, doing spells all the time. James forced himself to think. His bedroom. Under the bed. His school trunk. Yes.

He dashed down the hall, took a right into another corridor and right again. Ignoring the proud colours of red and gold that decorated the walls, he flung himself under the bed and heaved out the trunk; it seemed to open on its own accord and he rummaged through it, through robes and quills and bottles of ink, spellbooks and parchment until at last the box with the name _Ollivanders_ was visible. He tore it open, admiring for only a second the beauty of the shiny hawthorn wood, then, as quickly and quietly as he could, he raced down the corridor, left, left, down, down, down the hallway and, thanking his luck that no one was near, he pointed his wand at the door and said, quite clearly, "_Alohomora_."

The shimmering of the door seemed to stop for a second, before his father's voice rang out. James jumped-for a moment, he was sure he was caught.

"_Password_?"

James stared at the forbidden door, then he felt himself relax. _Password_. All this time, it was just a stupid password. Well, this shouldn't be difficult.

"Er-_Gryffindor_."

The door remained stationary.

"Okay, _Hogwarts_."

Nothing.

"_Godric_? Um, _Lily_? _James_? _Severus_? _Albus_? Er, let's see…_Quiddich_. _Sirius_. _Honeydukes_. _Diagon Alley_. _Seeker_. _Dumbledore_."

The door shuddered. James gaped. It creaked open slightly. There was more to it. Dumbledore what?

James tried to remember everything he possibly could about Dumbledore. Dumbledore and Grindelwald. Twelve uses of dragon's blood. 1945. Voldemort. Nicholas Flamel. Elder Wand. Hallows. Deathly Hallows.

James tried all the combinations of the words he could think of, but nothing happened. He refrained from kicking the door-the Sticking and Intruder Charms would flare up again-but his wand showed his frustration by emitting several red and gold sparks. He knew his time was running out-Mum was going to come in soon, with Albus at her heels-but he needed to try this. One last phrase forced its way into is brain, and he said it without a second thought.

"_Dumbledore's Army_!" He shouted, and, miraculously, the door opened. James sprinted inside, the door shut behind him, and he whiled around, gasping at what he saw.

The room was oval, huge and towering, the walls covered in leather-bound books of all shapes, colours, and sizes. The Gryffindor colours of gold and scarlet were everywhere he looked, and a dark mahogany desk was in the center of the room. James cautiously made his way over-if this room was locked by magic, then surely there was something that his dad didn't want him to see in here. His body tingled with excitement.

The desk looked ordinary from a distance, but close up, it looked to be releasing a faint, gold glow. Several charts of unknown locations were on the top, some of what looked to be building plans, others spells and enchantments in symbols or strange languages. It was no wonder that his father was Head of the Auroral Office at the Ministry of Magic-he had abilities that even the Minister himself thought impressive. James was quite proud of his father.

There were five compartments in the desk, and James pointed his wand at the one directly below the desktop. He poked the drawer with his wand tip, tentatively, and it slid open, revealing what it held inside. James held his breath.

The drawer contained a Sneakoscope, an old-looking square bit of parchment, several quills, a half-full box of Every Flavour Beans, and a moving photograph of James' grandparents, Lily's and his namesakes. James picked it up and moved his thumb over the old photograph-it was suddenly very hard to swallow. He looked at his grandmother's young and smiling face. It was because of her sacrifice that his dad-even James himself-was alive today. He replaced it in the drawer-he couldn't have looked at it a moment longer anyway. He instead moved his attention to the square, old-looking parchment.

It looked ordinary-but surely, if it weren't important, why would it be here? He jabbed the parchment with his wand, but nothing happened. He heard his mum calling his name in the corridor, and decided that he'd pushed his luck enough today. James tucked the parchment into his jeans back pocket, closed the drawer with another prod from his wand and sprinted to the door. James didn't touch the wood-too many enchantments-but the room seemed to know that he wanted to leave. The door creakily swung open to expose a thankfully empty hallway.

James Potter's trainers made no noise as he raced effortlessly to his room. Locking the door behind him, he sat on his gold-and-scarlet-clad sheets. His wand hand shaking, he set on the task of revealing the secrets that the Marauder's Map had to offer.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Victorie, Cécile, and Nicholas are all Bill and Fleur's children. They had more than one-and this is my canon until JK says I'm wrong. And Fred Weasley is George's. Also, Ginny found James and yelled at him for quite a while for abusing his brother. And then he was sent back to his room, which he was all too happy to do, cause the Marauder's Map was in there. ;) Anyway..._

_Disclaimer: I forgot the other two chapters OMG!!! I own nothing. Wait, yes I do. I own Cécile and Nicholas. Bwhahahaha. :D_

* * *

Dear James, 

I hope your first week at Hogwarts is going well-mine certainly was eventful, although it was quite a different experience. Mum sends her love, and Lily is almost bursting with jealousy-she also would like to remind you that because you left for Hogwarts two weeks after making a deal with her, you still have two weeks of playing dolls with her to complete. There is some doll called Rosaline involved. I didn't ask questions, although I would like to know how you got yourself into playing dolls with your sister.

Anyway, I want full details on any friends you are making-I don't care about Houses, I just want names. Last names, especially. I may know their parents. Uncle Ron would like to add, 'Beware of the tetchy Slytherins, James. And if there are any Malfoys, use _Langlock_. Or _Levicorpus_. Or use it on any Slytherin, really.'

I believe Fred is a sixth year now-don't let him push you around, although I doubt he would anyway, you two are too much alike. Victorie and Cécile should treat you all right, even though you set Cécile's hair on fire last year. And Nicholas is only a year older than you. And I'm sure you've met Peeves by now, and if you haven't, consider yourself lucky.

Hagrid was so excited about meeting you that he sent _me_ a letter. Oh, and tell Neville hi for us. I was working the last time he came for tea. Oh, and speaking of work…

I must say I'm impressed, James. I don't know how you managed to unstick yourself from that doorknob-I must imagine that it was quite a feat-and stealing the Marauder's Map must've been tricky too. I won't tell you how to operate it-you may have figured it out yourself-but once you have, it's worth it. I am both impressed and mildly irritated that you have broken into my office. I've had to come up with new security measures to keep you out of there.

Mum and I are pleased that you've landed yourself in Gryffindor. Albus had quite a scare after you tormented him like that. He's now terrified of being in Slytherin. James, when you get home, you're going to be locked in your room for quite a while. Consider this as mercy. Be glad that _I_ found out about this _after_ you left. Mum isn't being as hard on you as she should be. You _should_ be on the receiving end of her Bat Bogey Hex. So now you can look forward to coming home for the summer holidays.

Take care, James. And take care of the Map, as well. When you unlock it, know this: Prongs' name was also James.

Love,

Dad


End file.
